Improvement in electric fire-alarm signal-boxes



2"Sh.eets--Sheet I.

Z. P. HOTCHK ISS. Electric Fire-Alarm Signal-Boxes.

Patented Nov.17,1874.

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- issued to customers,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ZEROY P. HOTOHKISS, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC FIRE-ALARM SIGNAL-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 157,002, dated November17, 1874; application filed August 14, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ZEROY P. HoTcHKIss, of Richmond, in the county ofWayne and State of Indiana, have invented an Improved Signal -Box forFire-Alarm Telegraphs, of

which the following is a specification:

My improved signal-box is secured bya lock, the key of which is intendedto be placed in the hands of the chief engineer or other responsiblepublic oflicer, a second key being by which key only an alarm can begiven. The construction of the parts is such that after the alarm-keyhas once been introduced by a party desiring to turn in an alarm, itcannot be withdrawn until the proper functionary arrives with the keywhich opens the box, and rewinds and sets the alarm mechanism for futureuse. The invention further consists in combining, with a fire-alarmsignal-box, a secondary alarm mechanism, which, after the introductionof the proper key by the party desiring to turn in an alarm, may be sooperated as to communicate to the headquarters an alarm other than thefire-signal in addition to the district signal. The invention furtherrelates to a device for securing the aforesaid special alarm mechanism,and restoring it to its operative condition when the alarm is rewoundand reset. The invention further relates to a duplex ratchetconnection,by which the door-key is made to impart a winding movement to thealarmspring when turning in one direction, and is permitted to turnfreely in the other direction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a section on the line andlooking in the direction indicated by the arrows l 1, Fig. 2, of asignal-box illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is .an inside View, as indicated by the arrows 3 3 inFig. 2. Fig. 4 is a front view of the keyhole guard and door. Fig. 5 isa section at 5 5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a section at 6, Fig. 2.

The box A may be hinged bodily to its back, or the board by which it isattached; or the door may be hinged to the box, as in the pres entillustration, to afl'ord access to the interior. G is an alarm-bell, andD a hammer of ordinary construction, the latter being operated by atoothed wheel, E,and spring F, in customary manner, the teeth on thewheel E being arranged to strike the number of the district. The bellwhich is thus applied to the district signal-box enables the partyturning in the signal to tell that the apparatus is opera-ting properly.The electric signal is produced by the breaking of the circuit betweenthe heel of the hammer D and the electrical contact-surface G, the heelof the hammer being in electrical connection with the wire W, and thecontact-surface G with the wire W, which are parts of the main line. Thewheel E is driven by a helical or volute spring, H, which is'wound by akey applied to the winding-square I, this being the same key that isemployed to open the box-door. J is the keyhole through which it isintroduced. The square I is attached to a ratchet-wheel, K, adapted,through the interposed pawl K to impart a rotary movement to theratchetwheel K when the key is turned inone direction, but permittingthe key to turn freely in the other direction. The free end of themainspring H is attached to the arbor of the ratchet wheel K, andimparts its motion to the wheel E through the medium of a pawl, K incustomary manner. The clock-movement by which the motion is regulated isof ordinary construction, and requires no further description. It isstopped and held while at rest by a lug, E, projecting from the face ofthe circuit-wheel E, resting against another lug, L which projectsinward from the bolt L of a lock, which is constructed with tumblers Land operated by a key introduced through the key-hole L when an alarm isto be turned in, as hereinafter described. The boltL of the lock carriesalso an arm or projection, L so formed and applied as to follow the bitof the key as it operates to retract the bolt of the lock, and preventthe retrograde movement of the key; its forward movement, beyond thenecessary point to throw the bolt L, being preventedby an arm, M,projecting downward from the bolt M of the door-lock, which latter isoperated by the bit of the key first referred to, the barrel of which issquare and fits upon the Winding-square I of the spring H. 011 theinside of the door is asliding guard-plate, N, formed with an arm, N

which rests upon the projection N from the lock-bolt L, so as to securethe guardplate N in its upper position, which masks the keyhole J untilthe lock-bolt L is retracted. The guard-plate N is drawn upward by aspring, 0, through the medium of an arm, catching under a hookedprojection from the guardplate N, resting on the spring 0. The arm 0 iskeyed to a pin, P attached to the external escutcheon plate 1?, andeither constituting the pivot of the said plate, or located near to thepivot thereof. The weaker spring Q, acts to draw the guard-plate Ndownward when it is released from the spring 0 by the act of turning theexternal escutcheon-plate P aside to expose the key-holes. Theconstruction and connection of the parts is such that the arm 0 may atany time be withdrawn from the engaging hook of the guard-plate N byturning aside the escutcheonplate P, as aforesaid, leaving theguard-plate N free to be drawn down by the weaker spring Q as soon asthe retraction of the bolt L may release it. But as soon as the partsare all released and the lock L thrown forward, the guard-plate N willbe drawn upward by the stronger spring 0, causing its arm N to springinto catch with the lug N so as to prevent the descent of theguard-plate until the lock-bolt L is again retracted. When theguard-plate is down it also exposes an upper slot, B, in the door,through which projects a stud, R fixed to a slide, R which carries ontheinterior a pendent trigger, R adapted,when the slide is in its lowestposition,to engage with pins R projecting laterally from thesection-wheel E. The pen (1- ent trigger It also engages with a pin, Rupon the heel of the hamm r, so that when the slide R is depressed, thelateral pins R will, through the interposition of the pendent trigger Rand pin R actuate the hammer D in the same manner as the customaryradial teeth E E of the section-wheel. In the present illustration Ihave shown the pins R arranged to supplement one set, E of the radialteeth in such a manner as to produce, in connection therewith, aconsecutive series of strokes, numbering 10 in the present illustration.Itwill hence appear that with teeth and pins arranged as in Fig. 5, ifan alarm be turned in by the alarm-key through the medium of the lock L,and the slide R be not drawn down, the signal 4, 1, meaning fortyone,will be given, and repeated by the revo: lution of the section-Wheel E.If, however, the slide R be drawn down immediately on turning in thesignal, the result will be a signal ten, followed by 4, 1, constitutinga call for police, or whatever the number 10 may be used to signify atstation 41.

The hammer D is carried by an oscillating arm, B,which constitutes alever for breaking and closing the circuit, as required. It is soarranged and applied that it is ready for instant use after the box isopened for communicating any desired signal, by operating it by hand.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The parts being in thepositions shown in the drawings, the sectionwheel E, under pressure ofits spring H, will bear, by the lug E against the lug L on the back ofthe lock-bolt L, tending to press the said lock-bolt back; but this isprevented by the tumblers L If, new, it be desired to turn in an alarm,the proper key is introduced through the keyhole L and turned till thetumblers L are brought in register with the stump 011 the lock-bolt L.The press ure of the spring H will now gradually slide the lock-bolt Lbackward, carrying the key with it, by the action of the projection Lbetween which and the arm M of the upper lock-bolt M the lower key issecured. The gradual retrograde movement of the lock-bolt L continuesuntil the circular movement of the lug E causes it to slip past the lugL upon the lock-bolt L, and permits the latter to be drawn forward byits spring L when the tumblers L again fall behind the stump on thelock-bolt, and a shoulder, L", on the tumblers, engaging with thekey-bit, prevents its retraction. The continued rotation of thesection-wheel E then turns in the desired signal in the manner alreadydescribed, the motion of the said wheel being arrested on the completionof the revolution by the contact of the lug E 011 the said wheel withthe lug L on the back of the lock-bolt.

On the arrival of the proper officer to open the box, his key is appliedto the square I, and throws back the lock-bolt M. This action rewindsthe spring by the rotation of the square I. The retraction of the arm Mby the motion of the bolt M now releases the key from the lower lug,permitting the said key to be turned forward and withdrawn. The 0thcercan then, after sending any signal he may desire by hand, reclose andlock the box, leaving it in readiness for future use.

It is manifest that by a transposition of the parts the winding of thespring H may be performed in the act of locking, instead of unlocking,the box, and I propose to so use the invention when preferred.

By another transposition of parts I locate the key-hole L by which thealarm-key is iiitroduced, above, and the slide R for the police or otherspecial signal, below. This arrangement is superior, in that it enablesthe key inserted in the upper hole L to hold the pivotedescutcheon-plateP in its deflected position while operating thepolice-alarm, instead of necessitating the holding of theescutcheonplate by hand, as in the arrangement shown in the drawings.

The keys issued to customers for the purpose of turning in alarms aredesignated by numbers for registration, so that the parties holding themmay be held responsible for their custody and use.

The following is claimed as new:

1. A combination of locks, one permitting, by the application of asuitable key, the turning in of an alarm, the said key being therebyfastened until released by the application of a key to the other lock.

2. The combination of the door-lock M and spring H with an arbor, I,common to both, and adapted. to cause the rewinding of the spring in theact of locking or unlocking the door.

3. The sliding guard N, in combination with the spring 0, for elevatingit, and the cappla-te connection 0 P, for retracting the said sprin g.

4. The combination of spring-catch N and projection N, for securing theguard-plate N in its uppermost position, substantially as set forth.

5. The slide R and trigger R in combination with a secondary series ofpins or projections upon the section-Wheel, for the purpose set forth.

6. In combination With the door lock M, spring H, and arbor I, thedouble ratchetplates K K connected to impart a Winding movement to thespring in one direction, and to permit the free movement of the key inthe other direction.

ZEROY P. HOTOHKISS.

Witnesses OOTAVIUS KNIGHT, W. H. PEARCE.

